


A Night at the Cat Circus

by FeralScribe



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: First Dates, First Kiss, Kissing, M/M, Molly is just kind of there with no explanation, brief cameos by Yasha and Fjord, vague relation to canon, widomauk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-26
Updated: 2021-02-26
Packaged: 2021-03-17 04:55:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,910
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29711976
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FeralScribe/pseuds/FeralScribe
Summary: Caleb has set up a special date night for him and Molly in his tower. There's snacks, cats, and something extra during intermission.
Relationships: Mollymauk Tealeaf/Caleb Widogast
Comments: 10
Kudos: 58





	A Night at the Cat Circus

**Author's Note:**

> Wrote this after the big BeauYasha date. There's so much potential in that tower, I really wanted Molly to experience some of it.

The door. Somehow it made Caleb sweat and tremble more than facing down dragons and all the anti-magic defense mechanisms of the Happy Fun Ball. Caleb swallowed. He coughed lightly to clear his throat. The lump of anxiety remained lodged there. He hoped he could at least speak without embarrassing himself too much.

Was there some sort of Dunamantic effect on this door? The gravity around it seemed strange, creating a bubble that resisted Caleb’s hand as he reached to knock on it. Perhaps he should have sent a note with one of the cats. Yasmina was always the reliable sort and she was quite a charmer. It wasn’t too late to summon her. Except it was, because his knuckles had already rapped against the wood once, and out of habit and momentum he knocked again. Caleb’s stomach dropped. He hadn’t knocked that hard, really. He would wait here another twenty seconds and if nothing happened then he had knocked too softly to be heard and he could go fetch Yasmina to send that note.

Five seconds.

Ten.

Fifteen.

Then it opened. The expelling gravity well was banished by the scent of incense and fragrant steam. In its place stood the man that Caleb felt drawn towards, and who had recently made it clear that the feeling was mutual. He smiled, red eyes alight with intrigue.

“Why, Mister Caleb. What brings you to my side of the tower on this fine evening?” Molly leaned casually against the doorframe. He was wearing nothing but a towel around his waist and a few pieces of jewelry in his horns. His skin was flushed a warmer shade of purple and most of his abrasions from the day’s hardships had already faded. Caleb guessed he was making use of the small spa included in his chambers.

“Oh, um… I-If you are busy I can come by later,” Caleb said.

Molly’s eyebrows twitched. “I’m not so busy that I can’t have some company,” he said. “Or if you’re just here to deliver a message then my bath can wait until you’re done.”

The door’s gravity effects were kicking in again. The pressure squeezed Caleb’s chest. His already pounding heart struggled. “It’s…a bit of both.” Caleb cleared his throat again. “I w-wished to offer you an invitation.”

“Ooh, sounds fabulously fancy,” Molly said with a grin. “An invitation to what?”

“To, um… T-To a erm…” There were a few things Caleb could call this that might make them sound more appealing. However, if Molly got the wrong idea then showed up and was disappointed, it would be worse than if he rejected Caleb here and now. Being blunt about it didn’t feel right either. This had to be special. Caleb been turning this over and over in his head for days, crafting everything he needed to make it special. “A private event, of sorts.” He scratched at his beard. “The uh… The sort where it is j-just the two of us.”

Molly’s grin widened. His tail swished under his towel. “Caleb Widogast, darling, are you asking me on a date?”

Ah, but it was in Molly’s nature to be blunt sometimes. It spared Caleb from having to say it so plainly. “Yes,” Caleb said. “I know we have already had dinner, b-but light snacks will be provided. And entertainment.”

“Entertainment?” Molly sounded interested, his voice a curious purr. “Should I wear anything special or…?”

Caleb resisted the urge to glance down at Molly’s towel. “Something comfortable,” he said. “Y-You uhm… We will be sitting down, mostly. But if you choose to dress up then it um… it would not be inappropriate.” He intended to change into something else as well. Formal wear was absolutely not required, though he wouldn’t deny Molly the chance to pick something from the closet of opulent and ostentatious outfits that were also included in his chambers.

Molly bowed his head in a gracious nod. “That’s fair. And when is this date to take place?”

“Oh um… T-Tonight, in…about an hour? Unless that is too late for you, I know we’ve had a long day and perhaps you would like to get some rest.”

“Nah, don’t you worry about me. Caduceus fixed me up well enough. I wouldn’t mind being up all night to see what you’ve got planned.” Molly winked. Caleb’s insides melted into faerie fire. Standing became much more difficult.

Caleb returned the bowing nod Molly had given him. “ _Ja gut_ ,” he said. “See you in an hour?”

“Until then.” Molly smiled and extended his hand. He had taken to shaking people’s hands for various reasons as a way of making fun of Beau ever since he had seen her privately conversing with Yasha and giving her an awkward handshake before returning to the group. Beau was nowhere around to get upset with him, however. Caleb accepted the handshake to be polite, though he tried to subtly wipe the sweat off his palm onto his pants first.

“Until then.” Gods, Molly’s hand was so warm. Caleb let go precisely when he should, but he yearned for more. He blushed at the thought of possibly holding Molly’s hand some more while on their date. He swiftly departed for his room before Molly could see how flustered he was.

It was a testament to how much of his _Volstrucker_ training had stayed with him that Caleb managed to wait until he got back to his room to have an anxiety attack. He staggered into the nearest chair and summoned Frumpkin into his lap. A few minutes of deep breaths and kitty purrs helped calm him. This was why his plans involved something that would take Molly’s attention off him for stretches of time, so he could have a moment or two to recover if he became overwhelmed. Molly was a very understanding individual. Caleb was almost certain nothing short of going into a full meltdown would drive the tiefling away. The date had to be more than Molly comforting him though.

The date. Caleb set Frumpkin on the floor. “ _Danke,_ ” he said to his familiar. Then he headed to his bathroom to prepare himself.

* * *

How was this door so intimidating? It was a perfectly ordinary door, with nothing but the medallion of the Moonweaver on it to indicate it was Molly’s door. And yet Caleb once again struggled to knock on it. He slapped his cheeks a little to bolster himself before rapping his knuckles on the wood. While he waited for Molly to answer, he nervously smoothed out imaginary wrinkles in his vest. The texture of the embroidery on his palms and fingertips helped him relax. Like everything in this tower, it would vanish if he tried to wear it in the Material Plane, but he had wanted an outfit that might match Molly’s, so he had given himself this burgundy velvet vest with designs similar to those on Molly’s old coat. The vest’s designs were more arcane in nature, but there were a few stars and flowers among the runes and sigils.

Caleb braced himself as the door opened. Molly clearly had had fun in his wardrobe. His horns were laden with gems on delicate chains, sparkling like light through the colorful stained glass windows in the tower. Over a white silk shirt with lace ruffled sleeves he wore a midnight blue evening cape with colorful beads sewn in the shapes of flowering vines. His leggings had a red and purple diamond pattern that vanished into his knee-high doeskin boots, though the colors were still visible through the loose lacing up the sides of his calves. He had even adorned his tail with silver ribbon that wound up from the tip in a crisscross and had more jewelry woven into it.

Molly froze in awe. “Gracious, Mister Caleb,” he said. “You do clean up _very_ well.”

Caleb self-consciously adjusted the rolled sleeves on his own pale blue shirt. He thought it appropriate to have his scars laid bare. He had nothing to hide from Molly anymore, not his past and not his feelings. Both were difficult to talk about, but that was why tonight he planned to show Molly how much he cared and wanted to see the tiefling happy. “And you are quite a sight yourself, as always.”

“I choose to take that as a compliment,” Molly said, beaming.

Caleb chuckled. “It was intended as one, yes.” He offered Molly an arm. “Shall we?”

Molly linked his arm with Caleb’s. “I suppose we shall. I must say, I do love a good surprise. I’m already enjoying myself.”

“Ah, well er um… I h-hope you enjoy the rest of the evening as well.” Caleb supposed there was no point hiding his blush either. He took a deep breath. Molly smelled of herbal smoke and warmth. That warmth radiated into Caleb’s skin wherever their arms touched. When they stepped into the center of the tower to ascend to the top level, Molly leaned in closer to Caleb, putting his hand on Caleb’s arm as well for stability. An electric shiver coursed through Caleb similar to the ones he got after casting a new spell for the first time.

“Should I close my eyes?” Molly asked as they passed through the eighth floor.

Caleb nearly halted midair. “If you would like,” he said. “To make it even more of a surprise.”

Molly grinned and closed his eyes. His eyelids were a shimmering shade of gold. Caleb wasn’t sure how he had missed that. It was so very Molly. Caleb liked it. He liked a lot of Molly’s quirks, and the ones he didn’t like Molly had toned down around him. Caleb liked that too.

The ninth floor of the tower smelled of mud and wet grass and musty cloth. Caleb led Molly onward after their feet found solid ground. Molly’s brow furrowed in confusion at the floor’s texture, but he kept his eyes closed. They reached the edge of the room. Caleb took a moment to look around, be sure everything was as he remembered, then he let out a deep breath.

“Alright, you can open your eyes now.”

As Molly did so, Caleb lifted the heavy flap to make it seem like the two of them had just stepped through it. Molly blinked, eyes growing wide. His tail tip flicked back and forth. “Oh,” he said, awestruck. “Oh Caleb…”

What amused Caleb was that Molly’s cape was nearly the same color as the tent. Perhaps it was why Molly liked that color. The dark blue fabric draped down from the central pillar, which was merely an illusion over the entry portal in the floor. The four hanging lanterns swayed gently as though the frame they were suspended from was being jostled ever so slightly by an exterior wind. Instead of people sitting on the ground facing the cleared out stage area, several dozen cats were arranged in a semi-circle. There was a blanket on the ground in the front row. Caleb took Molly’s hand, once again relishing the warmth of it, and took him to the blanket.

“I got us the best seats in the house,” Caleb said. He grinned. “It cost me _six_ copper, but I am told it is worth it.”

Molly turned his head to take in every detail, horn jewelry glinting and sparkling as the light hit them from different angles. It had been a long time since that day they first met, but Caleb had retained most of it, down to a few ragged places where the fabric had been mended. Molly beamed at Caleb. “You are the most incredible man I have ever met,” he said.

Caleb blushed some more. “I… I suppose you’ve met many people on the road, but um… I…” He bit his lip. “Thank you.”

“Thank _you_.” Molly kissed Caleb’s cheek. Caleb’s heart leapt.

They took their seats. Even though the ground looked rocky and hastily tamped down, it was quite comfortable. Minka, one of the larger cats, came by pulling a little wagon laden with snacks. There were paper cones filled with popcorn, jars of brightly colored sweets, braided pretzels and fresh doughnuts on hooks, and perched on her tail was a platter of candied apples. Molly’s tail quivered and swished with delight as he took a bit of everything. Caleb merely took some popcorn and a caramel apple. As Minka walked off, Pepper came up with her own platter on her tail, this one bearing drinks. There was water, wine, and Husseldorf trost. Molly and Caleb both took a mug of trost.

“You said there would be ‘light snacks’,” Molly said. “I can and _have_ made meals out of festival food.” He took a sip of ale. “I’m not opposed to a second dinner though. Just don’t tell Jester we had candied apples and doughnuts without her.”

Caleb smiled. “If she wants any, the cats will bring her as many as she can eat.” He took a bite of his own apple. It was sweet and tart and a bit of juice trickled into his beard. He reflexively shrugged up his shoulder to wipe off his mouth. That didn’t seem like good first date behavior. However, not two second later, Molly wiped doughnut glaze off his fingers onto his evening cape before taking another drink of ale.

Soon the lights in the hanging lanterns dimmed. Methuselah and Michi came out with their violin while Bengel and Gretchen held mallets in their tails to play on a large kettledrum. Molly barked in excited laughter. It wasn’t quite the music Desmond and Bo had made, since Caleb’s cats added a bit of Zemnian folk flair to it. It set the mood for the upcoming performance though.

First up were the tumbling cats. Hoops were brought in for them to jump through, some suspended from wires, some on sticks, a few that spun in place so it was more impressive when the cats jumped through them one after the other. There were also platforms at varying heights, and the cats leapt between them in a way that looked as though they were being juggled. All the tumbling cats wore collars with ribbons that fluttered as they did their routine. Hamisch, a particularly lithe cat, did backflips through many of the hoops. Molly clapped in awe.

“Marvelous!” he cried. “Bravo!”

Caleb chuckled. Molly’s enthusiasm was infectious. Furthermore, Caleb had been worried that Molly would think a date to the circus was too trite, since Molly loved going out and seeing new things. Performing cats was new to him though. And if Molly agreed to a second date then Caleb could come up with something novel for him. The current date seemed to be going well, which made Caleb happy.

The hoops were replaced by tightropes and balancing beams. One balancing beam had poles spaced evenly along its length. The performing cats wove deftly through the poles. Anya did it backwards. On the regular beams and tightropes, cats crossed on four legs, on two legs, hanging upside down by their claws, carrying smaller cats on their backs, stopping in the middle to stand on two legs and dance to the music of violin and drums. Molly gasped and applauded some more. His snacks lay half-eaten and forgotten in his lap.

“Wait until you see the main show,” Caleb said.

Molly turned to stare at him with wide eyes. “This isn’t the main show?”

Caleb shook his head with a smile. “These are the opening acts.”

There was one more opening act before the main event. Four small ballistae rolled into place at the corners of the stage area. Molly’s tail swished excitedly. He wolfed down the remnants of a doughnut with some trost, eyes never leaving the stage. Caleb ate a few more pieces of popcorn. If he had a tail it would be wiggling around too.

Four cats came out from the flap at the back of the tent. They were larger than many of the previous performing cats, nearly the size of lynxes. The tempo of the music picked up. One of the ballistae fired. Immediately, Franziska leapt up and swatted at the bolt. It exploded with a flash of light, not bright enough to blind, and glittering sparks rained down on the stage like fireworks. Another ballista fired, but this time it was Johann who leapt up to catch the bolt. Soon all four ballistae were firing in time to the music, individually or together, changing the angle between shots so the explosions didn’t go off in the same place every time.

Molly was ecstatic. He cheered and clapped when the cats crossed each other midair or did a particularly fancy flip or twist to catch their quarry. Caleb loved the performance too, though for a different reason. He used to do this with Frumpkin when he was a child. She was an excellent little hunter. His mother had made a little toy mouse out of rags for her to chase, and Caleb often threw it in the air for her to catch. Sometimes he tied a dandelion to it so when she caught it the white fluffs would burst into the air. He nearly summoned the new Frumpkin into his lap to pet. Instead he took a chance and scooted a little closer to Molly.

“I never knew your cats were so talented!” Molly exclaimed. He grinned at Caleb. Caleb liked Molly’s smile. Even when he was lying it looked genuine, and something about the fangs made it all the more intriguing. “I mean, I’ve seen them making pancakes and carrying wine bottles with their tails, but never in a thousand years would I expect a spectacle like _this._ ” His smile softened. He put his hand on Caleb’s. “You keep finding new ways to surprise people,” he said. “Make them happy. Do good in the world.”

Caleb was already red in the face from Molly’s touch. He grew even more bashful from the compliments. “I… I was inspired by a…v-very remarkable person,” he said.

Molly leaned into Caleb. He lightly tapped the base of his horn to Caleb’s temple. “Whoever they are, I’m sure they’re pleased and delighted to know what you’ve become.”

“I—” There were still the rooms on the eighth floor. The memories he couldn’t let go of. Without them he wouldn’t have gotten to where he was. However, without Molly, without the Mighty Nein, he would have ended up somewhere completely different. “I am pleased with my progress, too.”

“Good.” Molly pressed their foreheads together. Caleb lost all his senses for a moment. The world was Molly’s warmth, his scent, his presence. “You’ve earned a good time after all the shit times you’ve been through.” Molly’s tail curled around Caleb’s hips. His mouth was so close. Caleb could smell the sugar and ale on his breath. Another couple inches and he would be able to taste it…

The music swelled to the grand finale. Flashes of light popped above the stage. Caleb turned his head reflexively. His lips tingled where Molly’s had brushed against them ever so briefly. Molly turned to watch the finale as well. He didn’t let go of Caleb’s hand, but he cheered and whistled and called out praise to the performers. It really was a wonderful show. There was always at least one cat in the air, and by the end they were leaping and pouncing with such grace and speed it was difficult to keep track of them and the air was thick with light.

The cats lowered themselves on their front paws as a bow when they finished. Caleb and Molly applauded. The spectral fae cat audience around them purred loudly in unison. Caleb downed the last of his trost. His palms were slick with sweat. His heart raced.

“W-We um…” He cleared his throat. “We have a moment before the final act. The uh…stage needs to be set.”

Molly smirked knowingly. “An intermission then?” he asked. “A chance to get up and stretch our legs?”

Caleb nodded. “Mhm. P-Perhaps step outside the tent f-f-for fresh air?”

“Sounds like a plan.” Molly heaved himself to his feet then pulled Caleb up with him. They walked back to the entrance flaps of the tent. There was a little space outside them before the room ended, though the walls made it look like they were a stone’s throw from Trostenwald.

Eager to show Molly the other ways in which he had changed, Caleb cupped Molly’s face in his hands and led him backwards until they were up against that unseen wall. Then he kissed him. The relief was heavenly. It was like exhaling after holding his breath in anticipation for far too long. He could breathe freely now, in and out, give and take. Everything he gave, Molly returned to him with equal fervor, and Caleb drank it in. He tangled his fingers into Molly’s hair. Molly did the same to him. Caleb felt wanted, needed. It was wonderful.

Gradually their fevered passions slowed to gentle kisses exchanged between caresses. “Do you always kiss like that on the first date?” Molly asked with a chuckle and another kiss.

Caleb kissed him back. “Actually, _ja_.” His only other previous first date had happened when he was a teenager drunk on his own ego and sense of purpose to the Empire. He had more clarity now, and it was clear that he and Molly felt things for each other that needed to be expressed. They needed to breathe. Caleb kissed Molly again, an exhale, and breathed in again when Molly retook control for a moment.

“Mmm, Mister Caleb, you do find new ways to surprise me…” Molly stroked his tail up Caleb’s leg. “But…” He sighed. “I feel I really should mention that I appreciate how reliable you are, too. I know when this whole thing started you had doubts you could be worth something to the group. Fuck, I had doubts the whole group could be worth anything at all. Everyone has brought something to it that makes it work, and what you bring is…basically the whole bloody backbone of our survival. Without you, we wouldn’t have comfortable places to stay while we’re traveling, or know what any of our magic shit does, and Yasha wouldn’t be able to turn into a fucking giant that can crush her enemies between two fingers. She enjoys that a lot, by the way.” Molly kissed Caleb’s cheek. “In fact I don’t think those arseholes thank you enough for all you do.”

“It’s alright,” Caleb assured him. He stroked Molly’s hair. “I don’t do it to be thanked. I do it because…because I care about you all. And I am paying you all back for everything you’ve done for _me_.” He kissed Molly softly. “Without all of _you_ , I would be, at best, conning people with cheap magic tricks so I could pay for more books. At worst…” He clenched his jaw. “At worst the Assembly would have caught me and…put me back to work.”

Molly held Caleb and kissed his forehead. “We’ll get to that once reality isn’t in danger,” he said. “We’ll make it so no one has to go through what you did.”

Caleb relaxed into Molly’s embrace. It was getting easier to accept affection. “I didn’t mean to talk about things like this tonight.” At least he hadn’t brought up what Molly was going through. They were moving towards a solution, but things could end badly in so many ways. All the more reason to give Molly as many enjoyable moments as he could.

“It’s alright,” Molly said. “Even when you’re having the time of your life, the world keeps doing what it does, and some of those things happen to be awful.” He kissed Caleb’s forehead again and tilted Caleb’s chin up gently to look into his eyes. “But like I said, we’re going to make things better, starting by saving the world so it gets the _chance_ to be better.”

Caleb smiled. “You’re good at that. You already did that for me.”

Molly smiled back with a soft chuckle. “And you did that for me. Thank you.”

The violins and drums started up again inside the tent. Molly and Caleb exchanged one final kiss before returning inside, hand in hand. They sat back down on their blanket. Rather than sitting apart from each other as before, Molly leaned with his head resting on Caleb’s shoulder as best as his horns could allow. It worked out fine. Caleb put his arm around him to hold him closer. Molly tucked his tail around Caleb as well.

The stage was set with a mountainous backdrop. Fake boulders and trees lined the perimeter. The music took on an adventurous note, the kind that tugged at the listeners’ feet and inspired them to walk boldly into the unknown. Molly’s knee bounced in time to the drumbeat. Caleb smiled and rubbed Molly’s back. He hoped Molly would like this part of the show.

A thunderous roar filled the air, drowning out the music for a moment. Molly jumped, clinging tighter to Caleb. Caleb squeezed him reassuringly. The curtain of the backdrop parted, forming a cave in one of the painted mountains. A white panther strode out, costumed as a dragon. However, it was a costume made of plaster and fabric, with wings that stuck out at uneven angles and the material on the horns was already peeling off. Caleb could have made it a real dragon the size of a panther, or a panther with draconic features, but he thought Molly would be amused by a large cat wearing a silly two-copper dragon costume. Based on Molly’s outburst of laughter, he was right.

From out behind the rest of the fake scenery, eight smaller cats in equally kitschy costumes leapt forth to face the dragon. They were all dressed like the Mighty Nein. One wore a wig that was little more than a mop dyed black in the right places, one had a crossbow larger than she was, the one in blue danced around on its hind legs while batting its front paws around, and so on. Molly laughed louder and clapped.

“The Mighty Felines!” he exclaimed. “Terrific, they’re here to make everything worse!”

Caleb chuckled at Molly’s clever name for the performing group. He kissed the top of Molly’s head and stroked his arm. It wasn’t until a few long seconds later that he realized he was stroking Molly the way he would pet Frumpkin. Molly made no remark on it, though his tail tip patted against Caleb’s thigh a couple times before coming to rest again. Caleb took this as a sign that he could continue if he wanted. And so he did.

The eight cats took their turn harassing and attacking the “dragon”. It was clearly a comedy, despite the tense music and subject matter. The spellcasting cats had salt shakers of glitter in their tails that they shook in the direction of their target in place of using actual magic. The Fjord cat was stepped on quite frequently by the panther dragon and the Veth cat nearly shot him with her giant crossbow twice. The Caduceus cat had a rotten stick in his mouth with a shiny rock tied to one end, which he shook all around whenever he used his glitter. The Caleb cat fainted every time the dragon waved a paw in his direction. The Yasha cat screamed a lot. Over time they tore off chunks of the dragon costume, as the strikes from the panther’s claws tore their own costumes apart. Molly called out suggestions for what the cats should do to defeat the larger beast.

“C’mon, Fjord! What use is that fancy sword if you can’t slay dragons with it?”

“Aim for its eyes, Veth!”

“Jester could you stop gnawing on its leg and _heal your party members just one bloody time?_ ”

Of course, Molly cheered the most for the cat playing him. Whenever the cat used a Blood Hunter ability, it pulled one of the tabs disguised as embroidery on his coat that were actually red ribbons. The spurt of “blood” disappeared into glitter on the wind that was either white for his ice attacks, yellow for radiance, black for necrotic, or purple for any of Molly’s maledicts. Caleb had put a lot of thought into that character. He thought a lot about Molly in general, so it wasn’t too hard for him.

When the dragon’s costume was nearly torn to shreds, it picked up the Yasha cat in its mouth and started to turn back towards the mountain backdrop. Molly cried out in alarm and clung to Caleb. The Molly cat yowled as well and leapt onto the dragon’s back. He clawed at the remnants of the wings, and with the two paper scimitars tied to the arms of his coat it looked like he was furiously slicing with the blades. The panther dragon buckled and collapsed, releasing Yasha before it rolled onto its back in submission. The Molly cat sat on its belly with a triumphant cat smirk.

Molly jolted upright to applaud and cheer. “Well done! Magnificent! A great kill!”

All the cat actors, including the panther, lined up at the front of the stage to take their final bows. Molly gave them a standing ovation. With no flowers to throw to them, he scattered the dregs of his popcorn like rose petals. Caleb made a subtle gesture and shortly Stubby came in with a simple bouquet of wildflowers in his tail.

“Here,” Caleb said, offering the bouquet to Molly.

Molly stopped immediately and stared at the flowers. He smiled at Caleb adoringly. “Oh, Caleb, that’s so sweet. Maybe odd timing, but I love them anyway.”

Caleb went stiff with anxiety. His face burned. “Oh uhm th-that’s n-not— I mean, _j-ja,_ of course I would give you f-f-flowers, but I uh… I th-thought you might like to… to er, um…” He gestured tossing them towards the stage.

“Oh.” Molly looked equally embarrassed. “Oh! Right. Um…” He kissed Caleb on the cheek. “Thank you.” He untied the little hemp string holding the flowers together so he could throw them one by one. He continued his cheering, though with an awkward twinge in his smile. Caleb wanted to curl up and hide until the chagrin faded. The date had been going so well, too.

The cat audience got up and filed out through the entrance flap in the tent. They had their own way to get around the tower. Caleb could, hypothetically, follow them as Jester liked to sometimes, and that would save him the trouble of salvaging the evening. He wasn’t about to abandon Molly on his own though. He did the cordial thing and offered Molly his arm again. Molly smiled. In addition to looping his arm with Caleb’s, he curled his tail around Caleb’s waist. The touch of it sent tingles through Caleb’s chest.

Before they stepped into the center of the tower, Molly turned to Caleb and said, “This was the best date I’ve ever been on.”

Caleb smiled bashfully. “H-Have you been on many dates?”

Molly shrugged. “Not ones where I wasn’t conning the other person for a free meal or drink or…something else. …Huh, come to think of it, this is the first _real_ date I’ve ever had.” He beamed. “Lucky for me it was with a person who really knows how to show someone a good time.”

“…S-So you…liked it?”

“Liked it? Sweetheart, I _loved_ it. Why don’t we have entertainment like this every night?”

Caleb chuckled. “Well um, I do already ask a lot from the staff. And there are nights when we all mostly need a good meal and a soft bed because we’re too tired for anything else.”

“You’re right about that.” Molly tapped his tail tip against Caleb’s waist. “And the fact that this doesn’t happen every night made _this_ night all the more special.”

“You deserve it,” Caleb said.

Molly smiled and patted Caleb’s arm. “So do you.”

The ride down to Molly’s room was a bit daunting. Molly was all the way at the bottom with Beau and Caduceus. There wasn’t much reason for anyone else to be out of their rooms but Caleb still prayed he and Molly could have their privacy a little longer.

“Do you want to come in for a drink?” Molly asked when they got to his door. There was no missing the unspoken suggestion. It was plain in his tone, his posture, the glint of his eyes. But there was also the unspoken addendum of “ _only if you want to._ ” A warm shudder ran down Caleb’s torso.

“Um… I…I should rest, soon,” Caleb said. “Need my full sleep or I’ll be somewhat useless tomorrow.” He chuckled nervously. “B-But I uhm… I could do with a nightcap, _ja_.”

Molly nodded. He opened the door and stood back, gesturing politely for Caleb to enter first. “After you.”

Bruno brought them a bottle of rosé and Kekse followed behind with two glasses. Molly thanked them both with scritches behind their ears. Caleb envied how Molly could pet one cat with two hands while also stroking the other with his tail. The cats seemed very pleased with the treatment.

Caleb stayed longer than he intended, but he and Molly simply sat on the very comfortable couch in Molly’s chambers drinking wine together and talking about the show. Molly did most of the talking. Caleb sipped his wine with a smile as Molly animatedly gushed about his favorite parts of each act. As much as he had enjoyed the performance himself, Caleb’s mind was on the intermission. His heart fluttered in yearning. The more wine that went to his head, the more he wished to rest his head in Molly’s lap while he spoke.

When Molly offered to refill Caleb’s glass, Caleb politely declined. “I really should get some rest,” he said. Furthermore, if he lingered too long he might not leave until morning, one way or another. He added, “As should you, even if you spend the whole night in that hot tub.”

Molly glanced over his shoulder towards the spa with a smile. “I do love the hot tub. Thank you.” He set down the bottle of wine and got to his feet. “But you are right, as usual. May I accompany you to the door?”

“Of course.” It was a walk of about fifteen feet, but it was better to go with Molly instead of ducking out on his own. Caleb paused with his hand on the doorknob. “Um… F-Forgive me if I am being presumptuous about how well this date went, but uh…Mister Mollymauk, may I hhhave the honor of a farewell kiss?”

Molly beamed. “Mister Caleb, the honor would be mine.” He leaned in a few inches before pausing, blinking in mild concern. “How um… What sort of kiss did you have in mind?”

Caleb’s cheeks were already a little pink from the wine, but they flushed deep red. He swallowed. “Do you remember, a long time ago, when we were in those sewers and you ah…p-pinned me to a wall? Y-You didn’t exactly _pin_ me, but…you got…very close to me in a way that I was not comfortable with at the time.”

“I…recall.” Molly’s tail swished apologetically. “I don’t even remember why I did it, I just remember thinking that that was the best way to shake you up and get you to listen. And then when you were right there in front of me I remember thinking that if you were that handsome covered in gunk then I’d really like to see you without it.” He smiled. “As I suspected, you’re absolutely gorgeous.”

Caleb nodded bashfully. “I had hidden away some loot because I didn’t trust the rest of you to distribute it fairly. And you were correct, that…that lesson stuck with me.” He cleared his throat and shifted to have his back more towards the door. “Wh-While I was not comfortable with it at the time, I…think about it a lot and…”

Molly reached out to put his hand against the wall by Caleb’s head. He leaned in closer. Caleb’s heart raced with habitual panic, but amplified by excitement. “Do you now?” Molly asked with a grin and a cocked eyebrow.

Caleb backed fully into the door. “ _Ja…_ ”

“You think about _me_ a lot?” Molly was even closer.

“Mhm.” Caleb couldn’t decide if he wanted to watch Molly’s smoldering eyes or his lips or the glittering gems hanging from his horn. His mouth was dry. He licked his lips.

Molly closed the distance between them. Caleb had already kissed him tonight but this filled him with bubbling glee regardless. He put his hands on Molly’s waist. Molly’s tail snaked around Caleb’s thigh. Caleb pulled him in tighter. Molly had him truly pinned to the wall. It was everything Caleb hoped for. Molly was so warm, so very warm. This wasn’t the impassioned kiss they shared outside the tent earlier, or quite as gentle as the ones that followed. It was slow and intimate and deep. Caleb longed to take Molly to bed so they could do this for hours. Perhaps another time.

Caleb cupped Molly’s cheek and shifted to nudge their foreheads together. “I should go,” he murmured.

Molly sighed. His breath smelled of wine and sugar. “I don’t want you to, but…”

“I don’t want to either.” Caleb kissed Molly again. “We will have more nights like this though, I promise.”

“I’ll hold you to that,” Molly said with another kiss. “You’ve spoiled me, Mister Caleb. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“I feel the same about you.” Caleb brushed his knuckles over the front curve of Molly’s horn. “You’ve spoiled me with kindness. And love.” He kissed Molly once more. “And…I… I love y-you too.”

Molly beamed. He pressed his forehead into Caleb’s. “I _do_ love you, darling. Never forget that, alright?”

Caleb nodded. “I do not forget things so easily, but I…would appreciate some reminders.”

“I’ll give you plenty.” Molly kissed Caleb hard but sweetly. “Next time we’re at a proper tavern, I’ll be the one to treat _you_ , give you and your magic the night off.”

“I’d like that.” Caleb kissed Molly’s cheek. “But tonight, I and my magic need time to recuperate.”

Molly nodded and pulled Caleb into an embrace. “Sleep well, my love.”

Caleb’s heart soared. “My love,” he echoed quietly. Before he could get distracted any further, he groped for the door handle. He hugged Molly with his other arm. “I will see you in the morning. _Gute Nacht._ ”

“Gluten ox,” Molly replied.

Caleb shut the door behind him. It wasn’t as intimidating as before. He wished he were still on the other side of it though. He took a moment to breathe. It had been a successful night. He was…happy. Yes, happy. He couldn’t stop smiling. Hopefully this meant he would have good dreams tonight.

The door to Beau’s room opened. Caleb twitched back to Molly’s door, ready to throw himself inside so he wouldn’t be seen, though he hesitated because if he wasn’t fast enough then he would have some explaining to do. However, it wasn’t Beau that exited her room, but Yasha. She combed her hair with her fingers and froze when she saw Caleb.

“Oh,” she said. “Hello, Caleb. Um…I was just…uh…returning something Beau loaned me earlier.”

Caleb nodded. “And I was…stretching my legs. Couldn’t sleep.”

Yasha nodded as well. “Okay, well um…good night.” She hastened into the center of the tower. Her pale skin glowed a deep pink. She shot up into the next floor faster than Caleb had thought the magic could carry someone.

To put some space between the two of them, Caleb counted to twenty before heading up himself. As he passed the next floor, he heard another door open. He turned just in time to see Fjord sneaking out of Jester’s room. The two made brief eye contact before Caleb drifted up onto his own floor. Fjord seemed just as startled as Caleb.

Caleb half expected to see Yeza tiptoeing out of Veth’s room, except not only was Yeza far away in Nicodranas, but even if he were here he was Veth’s husband and would spend the night with her anyway. Perhaps there had been something about this night, where tomorrow didn’t hold as much immediate danger as usual, that inspired everyone else to seek comfort and intimacy. Caleb was a little embarrassed that he had been caught as well, but no doubt everyone would be cordial about it in the morning. He needed to get to sleep before there were any more shenanigans.

He would rest well tonight. That circus had been waiting upstairs for nearly a week as he mustered his courage to ask Molly on a date. Each night he had tweaked it a little, added something new or trimmed away something he didn’t like anymore. Molly had liked it. Molly had had a good time. Molly had kissed him. Caleb smiled pleasantly to himself as he settled into bed. Molly had already promised he would take Caleb on a their second date, but that didn’t stop Caleb from dreaming up what he would do for his beloved tiefling next.


End file.
